Ball bearing soleplate for iron



July 6, 1965 5, WEAVER 3,192,654

BALL BEARING SOLEPLATE FOR IRON Filed March 31. 1964 7T 7 I INVENTORJaw/V 5. WEA VER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,192,654 BALL BEARINGSOLEPLATE FOR IRGN John S. Weaver, RD. 1, Breinigsville, Pa. Filed Mar.31, 1964, Ser. No. 356,273 7 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) This invention relatesto a novel soleplate for an electric iron, and more particularly to asoleplate having a multiplicity of small balls or spheres journalled forfree rotation therein, each of which protrudes slightly from a bottomironing or pressing face of the soleplate so as to engage the item beingironed or pressed.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a soleplatefor an iron having a multiplicity of small balls or spheres on which theiron is supported, when in an ironing position, whereby the iron willmove freely in any direction and thus may be operated with a minimum ofmanual effort.

Another and particularly important object of the invention is to providea soleplate especially adapted for use as a part of a steam or pressingiron, which is so constructed that the steam is emitted around each ofthe balls or spheres to insure even distribution of the steam over thesurface of the item being ironed or pressed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a soleplate for a steamiron wherein the balls or spheres function as valves for shutting offthe discharge of steam when the soleplate is lifted from the item beingironed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soleplate for a steamiron wherein the ball receiving sockets are cleaned automatically whenthe iron is in operation by the steam passing therethrough.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, which illustrates presently preferred embodiments of theinvention, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion of aniron illustrating the novel soleplate;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a portion of thesoleplate;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of thesoleplate and illustrating the alternate position of the balls;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 of a slightly modified embodimentof the soleplate, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion ofthe soleplate as seen in FIGURE 5, and on an enlarged scale relativethereto.

Referring more specifically to the drawing and first with reference toFIGURES 1 to 4, the ball bearing soleplate in its entirety andcomprising the invention is designated generally 8 and includes a bottomsection designated generally 9, and a top section designated generally10.

The bottom section 9 comprises a relatively thin substantially flatplate 11 having a surrounding frame or marginal portion 12 ofsubstantially greater thickness than the plate 11 and which rises fromthe upper surface 13 of said plate. The bottom section 9 has acontinuous flat bottom surface or face 14 constituting the underside ofthe plate 11 and the marginal portion 12. The marginal portion 12,immediately around the upper side 13 of the plate 11, is provided with acontinuous recess 15, including a continuous upwardly facing shoulder orledge 16 which completely surrounds the upper side 13 of the plate 11and which is disposed slightly above the level of said upper side, asbest seen in FIGURE 2.

The plate 11 is provided with a plurality of corresponding openings 17which are arranged in staggered rows, as

seen in FIGURE 3, each of which provides a socket for a small ball orsphere 18. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the top portion 19 of each opening17, which opens through the upper side 13 of the plate 11, is of adiameter slightly greater than the diameter of the balls 18. The bottomhalf 20 of each opening 17, which opens downwardly through the bottomface 14, is of downwardly diminishing diameter and is of a diameter lessthan the diameter of the balls 18, and is shaped to conformally engage aportion of the ball 18 disposed therein for supporting the ball in thebottom soleplate section 9, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The top section 10 of the soleplate is of a size and shape to fit snuglyin the recess 15 of the marginal or frame portion 12, and includes asubstantially flat underside 21, the marginal portion of which rests onthe shoulder or ledge 16 for supporting the remainder of said underside21 above and spaced from the upper side 13 of the bottom section 11, toprovide a chamber 22 therebetween. The top section 10 constitutes asubstantially flat plate which is of a thickness such that its uppersurface 23 is preferably disposed flush with the upper surface 24 of theframe portion 12 when said top section 10 is supported by the shoulderor ledge 16. The underside 21 is provided with a multiplicity of shallowconcave depressions 25, one of which is disposed above each opening 17.As best seen in FIGURE 2, when the balls or spheres 18 are supported inthe openings or sockets 17, the upper portions of said balls are spacedslightly from the depressions or cavities 25. However, when thesoleplate is resting on an item 45 to be ironed or pressed, as seen inFIGURE 4, it is supported by bottom portions of each of the balls 18engaging said item so that, instead of the balls being supported by thebottom section 9, said balls then support the soleplate 8 and are eachdisplaced upwardly in its opening or socket 17, so that the upperportions of the balls conformably seat in the cavities 25. Aconventional electrical heating element 26 can be mounted in anysuitable manner in the top section 10 for heating the soleplate 8. Thedischarge end 27 of a steam tube extends through a bore 28 of the topsection 10 so as to discharge into the chamber 22. The frame or marginalportion 12 has an exterior upwardly and outwardly opening recess 29providing a seat for the bottom edge 38 of the iron cover 31.

Assuming that steam is being supplied through the conduit portion 27 tothe chamber 22 and that the soleplate 8 of the iron is supported by theballs or spheres 18 resting on the item or surface 45 to be ironed orpressed, so that said balls or spheres are displaced upwardly in theopenings 17 and into engagement with the cavities 25, when thusdisposed, as seen in FIGURE 4, the balls 18 will revolve freely in anydirection in the openings 17 and cavities 25 to allow the soleplate 8 ofthe iron to be manually propelled in any direction over the item orsurface 45 to be ironed or pressed with a minimum of manual effort beingrequired to eifect this movement. In addition, steam will escape fromthe chamber 22 through each of the openings 17 and around each of theballs 18, so that a ring of steam will be discharged from each opening17 toward the item being ironed or pressed, to provide an evendistribution of steam over substantially the entire area of the bottomface 14 of the soleplate. In addition, the escaping steam will act toclean the openings 17 and the peripheries of the balls 18 of any lint orother foreign matter which might otherwise collect on the balls and insaid openings. When the soleplate 8 is lifted off of the item beingironed or pressed, the balls 18 immediately drop into tight engagementwith the bottom halves 20 of the openings 17 as best seen in FIGURE 2,so that said bottom halves form valve seats and the balls 18 form valvefor sealing said seats, to prevent escape of the of the soleplate,designated generally 32, which is intended to be utilized as a part of adry iron, and which includes a bottom section 33 and a top section 34.The central plate portion 35 of the bottom section 33 corresponds withthe plate portion 14 and has openings 36 corresponding with the openings17; The marginal or frame portion 37 differs from the frame portion 12in that its recess 38, in which the top section 34 snugly fits, extendsdownwardly'to the top face 39 of the plate portion 35, so that the topsection 34 rests flush on the top face 39. Thus, no chambercorresponding "to chamber 22 is provided in the soleplate 32. Theunderside 49 of the top section 34 has cavities 41, corresponding to thecavities 25, whichare spaced slightly from the balls 42 which engage theopenings 36,'when said balls are supported by the bottom section 33.When the balls 42, which correspond with balls 18, are resting on asupporting surface, portions of their peripheries will contact thecavities 41 to enable the balls 42Ito revolve freely in said openings 36and cavities 41, as the soleplate is propelled over an item or surfaceto be ironed, If desired, steam discharge ports 43 may be provided toextend vertically through a part or parts of the soleplate, 32 and so asto discharge through the bottom face 44 of the soleplate, as seen inFIGURE 5.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may beresorted to, without departing from the function or scope of theinvention, as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an iron, a soleplate having a substantially fiat bottom face, amultiplicity of ball-shaped sockets in said soleplate each including arestricted bottom portion opening through said bottom face, a balljournalled in each of said sockets, the diameter of each ball beinggreater than the diameter of the bottom portion of the socket thereofwhereby the balls are supported by the sockets in the soleplate with aportion of each ball protruding from said bottom face, each of saidsockets including a downwardly facing top portion spaced from saidrestricted bottom portion a distance such that the top portion of theball contained in said socket is spaced slightly from the top portion ofthe socket when the ball is supported by the socket, said balls beingdisplaced upwardly into engagement with the top portions of the socketswhen the soleplate is supported by the balls resting on a supportingsurface to permit the balls to revolve freely in any direction in thesockets when the soleplate is supported thereon.

2. In an iron as in claim 1, said soleplate having a chamber disposedbetween the bottom portions and top portions of the sockets andcommunicating with each of said sockets, and means for supplying steamto said chamber to be emitted from the bottom portions of the socketsaround the balls when the soleplate is supported by the balls.

3.-In'an iron as in claim 2, said bottom portions of the sockets formingvalve seats, saidballs forming valves for engaging and sealing the valveseats when the balls are supported by the soleplate to prevent theescape of steam through said bottom portions of the sockets.

4. In an iron as in claim 3, said soleplate including a bottom sectionand a top section, said top section fitting into the bottom section andhaving an underside spaced from the top surface .of the bottom sectionand combining therewith to define said chamber, said sockets eachincludinga portion opening upwardly through said top surface of thebottom section and which is of a diameter slightly greater than thediameter of the ball contained therein.

5. In an iron as in clairn 4, said underside of the top section havingconcave depressions defining said top portions ofthe sockets.

6. In an iron as in claim 5, and an electric heating element containedin said top section of the ,soleplate.

7. In an iron, at soleplate, a plurality of sockets in said soleplateeach includinga restricted bottom portion opening through a bottom faceof the soleplate, a ball journalled in each of said sockets, thediameters of the balls being such that the balls are supported by thesockets for limited inward and outward movement through said bottomportions thereof, and means for supplying steam to the sockets to beemitted from said bottom portions around the balls when the balls aredisplaced inwardly of the sockets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 676,604 6/ O1FritZe 308-6 X 1,803,622 5/31 Kelsey 38-76 2,143,424 1/39 Schmidt et al3876 X 2,255,332 9/41 Russell 3O8-6 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN IRON, A SOLEPLATE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM FACE, AMULTIPLICITY OF BALL-SHAPED SOCKETS IN SAID SOLEPLATE EACH INCLUDING ARESTRICTED BOTTOM PORTION OPENING THROUGH SAID BOTTOM FACE, A BALLJOURNALLED IN EACH OF SAID SOCKETS, THE DIAMETER OF EACH BALL BEINGGREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE SOCKET THEREOFWHEREBY THE BALLS ARE SUPPORTED BY THE SOCKETS IN THE SOLEPLATE WITH APORTION OF EACH BALL PROTRUDING FROM SAID BOTTOM FACE, EACH OF SAIDSOCKETS INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY FACING TOP PORTION SPACED FROM SAIDRESTRICTED BOTTOM PORTION A DISTANCE SUCH THAT THE TOP PORTION OF THEBALL CONTAINED IN SAID SOCKET IS SPACED SLIGHTLY FROM THE TOP PORTION OFTHE SOCKET WHEN THE BALL IS SUPPORTED BY THE SOCKET, SAID BALLS BEINGDISPLACED UPWARDLY WHEN THE SOLEMENT WITH THE TOP PORTIONS OF THESOCKETS WHEN THE SOLEPLATE IS SUPPORTED BY THE BALLS RESTING ON ASUPPORTING SURFACE TO PERMIT THE BALLS TO REVOLVE FREELY IN ANYDIRECTION IN THE SOCKETS WHEN THE SOLEPLATE IS SUPPORTED THEREON.